Mvto Capitol Hill florist & OKCIC, Cuetlaxochitl, a sacred and revered gift.
December 12th, which is designated National Poinsettia Day, honoring its introduction to the U.S. by Joel Poinsett, its Mexican origins (Aztec “mortal flower”), its cultural role as Flor de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve Flower), and its historical uses for dyes and medicine, with calls to use its Nahuatl name to reclaim its heritage.
Legend of Pepita & Poinsettias
The Poinsettia also gains its popularity with the legend of Pepita, a young girl with a gift for the Christ Child.
A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy. I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes,” said Pedro consolingly.
Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.
As she approached the altar, she remembered Pedro’s kind words: “Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.” She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene. Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.
From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season and thus, the legend of the poinsettia was born.
Native Renewal
Consumer shopping seems all the buzz amongst neighbours- shop with integrity, shop local, chill with Amazon seriously. Great grandmothers keep fond stories of handmade cards far more often than a temu plastic scarf with cat faces trying lemons. Your aunt will appreciate tending to her bay window kitchen mint for morning tea.
Our families gather during these months to enjoy our attachments to one another, share food and goods, and prepare for upcoming spring. Moms and dads are stocking up for stockings and meal prep- have you prepared something you’ve grown yourself to feed your family? Certainly not for entire meal- what would it take for a neighbourhood to create pasole made in the 100 miles which it grew? We make a million choices a week- over the next couple what would happen if you were a little mindful, intentional, involved with the soil & community- actual OK groundwork.
Don’t know where to go- reach out we know district gems!
Thanks DeeAnn, great info!
MVSKOKE Word of the Day: ENKA (en-kah) – interj. yes; okay; you’re welcome. Ex. ENKA (en-kah). (Okay.)
The significance of this day
Day Quiahuitl (Rain, known as Cauac in Maya) is governed by Tonatiuh, the Sun God, as its provider of tonalli (Shadow Soul) life energy. Quiahuitl is a day of relying on the unpredictable fortunes of fate. It is a good day for traveling and learning, a bad day for business and planning.
The thirteen day period (trecena) that starts with day 1-Atl (Water) is ruled by Chalchihuihtotolin. These are 13 days of instability and unexpected events, of accidents and coincidences: these are good days to gamble a little on a long-shot; bad days to gamble a lot on a sure thing. Every day rollercoasters between all-good and all-bad, between rapture and terror. This trecena advises the priest-warrior to perfect the art of shapeshifting: only by mimicking the nature of water do we become an agent of change rather than a target of it. The purified heart casts no reflection in the smoking mirror.
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